We knew that he was very sick 2 1/2 years ago when he was diagnosed with cancer and had liver problems, but the vet said to just keep him comfortable and happy for the next few months.
We brought Lady home that Spring and those few months that Bear had left turned into a few years, as Lady kept Bear's spirits up and was always mothering him and teasing him to get him moving.
But, like humans, doggies get old and tired.
For the past two weeks, Bear had been very sick. He started of having accidents in the house, and then he stopped eating, but would still drink copious amounts of water each day. He lost about 40 pounds during that time.
He was still able to go outside for air and his business, but was very slow and his back legs started to give out on him and he often stumbled.
On Friday, we tried a soft food on him and he gobbled up a whole bowl of it. Then he vomited it all up.
Friday night, he kept vomiting up all the water that he was drinking.
On Saturday morning, I took him outside, and then had to help him up the step and into the house afterwards as he was not able to life his back legs to climb the step. He continued to vomit all of Saturday, and could not go outside that night as he could barely walk. He also refused to eat all day.
We did not expect Bear to make it through the night, and knew it was only a matter of time. I spent all night sitting with him, petting and brushing him.. Bear loved to have his coat brushed. As soon as I took the brush down from its peg on the wall, Bear would come over to me and sit nice, waiting for me to brush his thick coat. Saturday night, he just lay there, his tail giving an occasional weak wag.
Sunday morning, he refused to go out for his business, and refused to drink any water. I spent Sunday bedside him, taking cold wet cloths and dribbling water into his mouth to keep his tongue and lips moist. When Mark got home from work, I told him that it would no be long until Bear was gone.
Mark got in the car and went to town and purchased a beautiful Birch wood casket for Bear.
At 8:25 Sunday night, Bear took his last breath in and crossed over.
We wrapped Bear his blanket and let Lady come and say goodbye to her best friend, then we laid him in his casket. We put in a few treats, a teddy bear to cuddle and a stick to chase and fetch in the Rainbow Fields, then we carried his casket out to the porch to lie in state while we prepared his mausoleum.
On Monday, Mark and I went out and dug the ground and prepared it to receive the first layer of cement.
On Tuesday, we poured the base, then lay Bear's casket on top, so that he would face the lake that he loved so much. We build a frame around the casket and poured the cement for the walls, and in the spring, I shall decorate the mausoleum and plant rose bushes around it and put up a bird feeder beside him, as Bear loved to sit and watch the little birds eating and playing.
Bear was a gentle giant. He never once in all his 11 years nipped at, or got mad at anyone or anything. He would bark occasionally to scare away the ravens that tried to go after the small birds. He was protective over children and animals that were smaller than him, and he was loved by all that came in contact with him.
Bear was not just a pet. He was a part of our family and will forever be loved and remembered for the gentle and loving soul that he was.
Sleep well, dear friend. You were loved.
Bear Jensen
October 31, 1996 - October 14, 2007
1 comment:
I came in to see how you are doing and i found this. I can't tell you how sorry I am to see that Big ole Bear has gone. I hope the rest of your life is going ok.
I don't know how else to contact you, but I do miss you and think about you all the time.
Hugs!
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